A bipartisan Senate measure, reacting in part to the “Candy Land” drug scandal in 2015 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tomah, aims to shield whistleblowers at VA facilities from retaliation and to “hold bad actors accountable,” said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat who is co-sponsoring the bill.

“We must work across party lines to build a VA that protects whistleblowers, many of whom are veterans working to improve the system,” Baldwin said. “We also need to make sure we are empowering the VA to hold bad actors accountable because our veterans deserve nothing less than high quality service and care.”

Baldwin introduced the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act Thursday, along with co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle — including Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana, Bill Nelson of Florida and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, as well as Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Marco Rubio of Florida and Jerry Moran of Kansas.